Cosgrave will be remembered for his determination and strong principles

Liam Cosgrave at his desk in Government Buildings in March 1973, a few days after becoming taoiseach Picture: Getty

First elected to the Dáil at the age of 23 in 1943, Liam Cosgrave was a man of ambition. Having become leader of Fine Gael in 1965, he further followed in the footsteps of his father, WT Cosgrave, and became Taoiseach after the 1973 general election. When Fine Gael, under his leadership, formed the National Coalition with Labour, the new government proved that there was a viable alternative to Fianna Fáil. This, in itself, was...

Hardline opposition to EU solidarity in funding the cost of Covid-19 is driven by German allergy to ‘imprudent’ spending, and by Dutch politicians fearing the transfer of funds to southern countries would provoke a far-right backlash